Folding table



(ModeL) J. P. GAGE.

FOLDING TABLE. I No. 334,946. Patented Jan. 26, 1886.

I JAN $10 Attorney N. Fauna, Fholmmhonphcn Wasllingklm n. c.

lhsrrnn Srarns Parent Urrica JAMES P. GAGE, OF FAIRFIELD, IOYV A.

FOLDING TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 334,946, dated January 26, 1886.

Application filed April 2 1885. Serial No. 163,745. (Model) To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1', JAMES P. GAG-E, of Fairfield, in the county of Jefferson and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Tables; and I do hereby declare that the followingis afull,clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

The invention relates to tables; and its object is to construct the table in such manner that its legs or supports may be easily and quickly folded up and secured in a horizontal position against the under surface of the tablebody, so that the device can be conveniently stowed away, or transported from one place to another.

The invention consists in the construction and novel arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal central section of the table with its legs uufolded. Fig. 2 is a reverse plan of the table with its legs folded. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the complete table on the line 00 x of Fig. 1, looking from the front. Fig. .t is a detail side view of the top of the table, and hook that keeps the legs folded thereto; and Fig. 5 is a detail transverse sectional view of the same.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by letter, A designates the tablebody, which may serve as an ironing-board. The body is pref erably made with its front end narrower than its rear end, as shown.

B is a rectangular frame firmly secured to the under surface of the rear portion of the table-body, and with its two side strips, 1) b, rabbeted on the upper edges to form the longitudinal ways b, as shown. The front corners of the frame B have the opposite lateral- ]y-projecting loops or staples, O O, secured to them, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

D is a transverse block or strip of planking, which has its ends rabbeted to fit the ways I) b and travel therein. (1 is a button pivoted to the center of the front edge of the blockD, and d is a notch or recess in the under surface of the tablebody, into which recess the end of the button is turned when the rear edge of the block Dis against the rear rail of the frame B. This is the position of the block when the legs or supports of the table are turned down, as hereinafter explained.

E is a trestle-frame composed of the legs 6 c, and the transverse bars 0 e. The rear legs of the trestle are connected by the hinges c e to the front edge of the traveling block. D. Each front and rear leg of the trestle on the same side are connected together at their tops by a hinge, 0 Thus the trestle may have its legs spread apart, or may have them closed on each other to be turned horizontally under the table-body.

F F are connectingbars having their meet ing ends connected on their under surfaces by the hingef. The rear bar, F, has the lower surface of its end connected to the upper edge of the front surface of the rear bar, 0, by the hingef, and the front end of the front bar, F, has its upper surface connected to the upper surface ofa longitudinal connecting-bar, G, by the hinge f. The said bar G is connected to the middle of the upper edge of the front surface of the front transverse bar, c, by the hinge g. g

H is a trestle-frame, composed of the legs 72. h and transverse bars h IL. The front endof the bar G is connected to the middle of the upper edge of the rear surface of the rear transverse bar, h, by the hinge g. The rear legs of the trestle II have their tops connected by the transverse bar I, to the lower edge of which the upper ends of the front legs of said trestle are connected by the hinges it", so that the trestle can open and close in asimilar manner to the rear trestle. The upper ends of the rear legs of the trestle H and the upper edge of the bar I are flush with each other, and so arranged that they will lie squarely against the under surface of the table-body when the front and rear trestles are open and in position to support the table body.

K K- are connectingbars similar to the bars F F, connected together at their meeting ends by the hinge 7c. The rear bar, K, is connected at its rear end to the front end of the bar G by the hinge 7c, the hinge connecting the upper surfaces of thebars. The front end of the front bar, K, has its under surface connected by the hinge k to the middle of the upper edge of the rear surface of the front transverse bar, h.

L Lare rods connected to the ends of the front transverse bar, h, by means of their looped ends I and the staples Z. l are hooks on the lower ends of said rods, adapted to engage in the staples O 0 when the trestles are turned down on the under surface of thetablebody.

It is. evident from the foregoing description that when the trestles are turned at right angles with the table-body and opened the connecting-rods F, F, G, K, and K will all be in the same right line, and will serve as supports or stays for the trestles. The upper edge of the bar I will then rest against the under surface of the table-body, and by pulling the block D backward as far as it will go in the frame B and turning the button d into the recess d the trestles and their connecting-bars can be fixed securely in position to support the tablebody. By turning the trestles horizontally against the table-body they will be closed, the bars F F and K K closing, respectively, on each other, and the'bar'G lying horizontally between the trestles. In this position the button d is released from the recess d and the block D slid forward in the frame B till the rods Lean engage theloops or staples C. These will keep the trestles and connecting-rods down on the tablebody, so that the device can be easily handled for storage or transportation. Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a folding table, the combination ofthe trestle E, connected to said block by the hinges e, the trestle H, having .its upper edge free, the hinged bars F F, joining the front and rear legs of the rear trestle, the hinged bars K K, connecting the front and rear legs of the front trestles, and the hinged bar G, connecting the front andrear trestles together, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the body'A, provided with the recess d, the frame B, secured to the body, and having the loops Osecured to it, the block D, traveling in ways in said frame and having the button d pivoted to it, and the rear trestle, E, hinged at its upper end to said block, of the connecting-rods F, F, G, K, and K, the front trestle, H, and the rodsL L, connected thereto, all constructed and arranged substantially as shown and described, for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my ownIaffiX my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

JAMES P. GAGE. \Vitnesses:

J. B. MILLER, CHAS. I. SIPPEL. 

